Priceless

Kaitlynn (3): Girly girl who finally mastered potty-training and got to get her ears pierced (much to her great delight!), lover of dresses and hair bows, wannabe musician and continually surprising us with the depth of her understanding.

Life is boisterous, noisy and often messy at our house, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world — though some days a nap in a quiet room does sound awfully nice. The smiles, the giggles, the learning and playing together, the hugs and cuddles cannot be bought with any price. And I want to overlook the dirty dishes, laundry piles and spilled milk and rejoice in God’s goodness to allow me to be mother to these three little ones. It’s only a short season and I don’t want to waste it.

what little blessing you are blessed with. i too am a stay at home mom, and wouldn’t trade it for the world! love your version of “season”, you are soooooooo right, as i look at my 4 year old girly girl and my 1 year old little guy who is full of giggles and wonder – how did they grow right before my eyes and i love them so! I thank God everyday for them and that I am blessed to be able to stay home with them.

Enjoy every minute! My oldest began her SENIOR YEAR of high school a few days ago…we have been visiting colleges! And even when you feel like you haven’t spent all the time with them that you wish you could have or should have, they remember it differently. I commented to my now 17 year old that I regret not playing with her more when she was little. She replied with utter amazement, “Mom, you always played with me! Polly Pockets, Barbie…..” and on she went naming all the things we played when she was little. Praise God for little “pick me ups” like that moment when I was feeling sad!

Oh, I know how fast these years go. My boys are 11 and 8, and my girls are 6, and almost 4. I had to go back to work full time a few months ago, as my husband had lost his job. So very grateful that one of us remains the primary caregiver, I just really miss it being me!
Those little snuggles, hugs, and kisses mean the world to me!

Thank you thank you for sharing today. I’ve been going nuts w/ my four boys…school, housework and just plain trying to be a good mom and wife! UGH. Thank you for this moment to enjoy the laundry, cooking, and cleaning of the “science project” toilet.

LOL! I have two of those plus a mountain of laundry and a kitchen full of dirty dishes. Regardless my girls still love me and I love them. Just makes me wonder if we can love our children after they fall off of the kitchen table (that we have been telling them to stop climbing on for two days), how much more does our Heavenly Father love us?

Very cute! Thanks for the reminder. I was in tears yesterday feeling overwhelmed with house work and kids stuff (a little dramatic, I know). It’s important to keep the timeline and priorities in perspective. Thank you!

@ksenia, Not dramatic, that’s reality of life as a full time mom. It is so hard. Just remember that you need to take care of yourself too, get enough sleep, eat right, exercise etc. It is hard to do, but it really makes a difference. Hugs to you and prayers for a better day!

Lucky for us they won’t remember those piles of dirty laundry, dishes in the sink or dirt on the floor. They will however remember the time we spend with them. As a mom to 3 as well I can completely appreciate the desire for a nap in a cool quite room

Crystal, You are SO blessed! I know about those days when you feel you’re going to go crazy, wake up and prepare for the school day, wake everyone and dress them, fix and clean up breakfast, start some laundry, do school, fix and clean up lunch and so on until I fall into bed at night. However, I have found that I can get discouraged and be grumpy OR just to realize that God has given me all these blessings…health that I might get up another day, children that I can cook for and school, the means to buy clothes to launder and food to eat. We can often take these things for granted, but like you said, if you put it all into perspective, GOD IS GOOD and continues to bless me each and every day!! Thank You so much for your blog and the many encouraging and God-centered posts that you put on here. I look forward to reading it each and every day.

Crystal, your kids are so beautiful! God has blessed you with a great family and a great talent to “blog.” I check your blog everyday, for the great deals and for the amazing stories. You are, by far, the best blog out there! Keep up the great work.

Crystal, Thank you so much for allowing us a sneak peek into your life. What I appreciate the most about your blog is your dedication to the Lord and to your family. Women like you are a rarity this day and age and I love to see women put God and Family as the top priorities in life. People could not understand the decision my husband and I made to live in a humble little house, drive old cars and budget like there is no tomorrow… all so our children can have a stay-at-home/work-from-home Mom. We are the happiest when I am home and I am glad to see another Mom embracing this ‘season’ of life. Lots of love and prayers coming your way from South Carolina! XOXO

Thank you for allowing us into your home-Lovely! Yes, cherish the moments, I have a senior in high school (my last year to homeschool), and another who is transferring to an out of town college soon. God Bless you and your family!

I started following your blog a couple of weeks ago, and it was so nice to see pictures of your beautiful little munchkins. I now feel even more connected to this site. Thanks for the reminder to enjoy these times. It’s hard trying to balance house work and stay focused on what is important – our family. I appreciate you putting things in perspective. May God bless you and your family. Your children are beautiful, and they are lucky to have you as their Mom.

my oldest turned 7 yesterday and we have been working on them helping more and more. Today I was rewarded! I was folding Laundry, the boys were folding the towels. When they finished my oldest came over grabbed his stack and headed upstairs to put it away without being asked! Now that was an accomplishment! And I am amazed your 5 year old can clean a bathroom. My 4 year old likes to help but only when his mood is right.

Silas has gotten so big! I first started reading/following your site a few months before you were to have him. It’s hard to believe that time flies so quickly. I have 3 little ones as well and it’s seems like before long they’ll be out on their own, taking on the world. We must enjoy it while we can!

This post brought happy tears to my eyes… You are an excellent example of how we should all be thankful for everything we have. Instead of asking God to “fix” everything we view as “wrong” in our lives, we should all be grateful with how truly blessed we are. Thank you for being a deep breath of fresh air, in a world so often clouded with negativity!
P.S… Your children are positively adorable!!

My mottos are “Choose to rejoice” and “Embrace today” — because I’ve found that otherwise, life can totally pass me by while I’m waiting for it to become “better.” There are always hard things and wonderful things about every season. It’s easy to lose sight of the wonderful things when focusing on the difficult things.

My step-grandma often reminds me that “These are the best years.” Even in the midst of those really hard days when it feels like everything is going wrong, I try to remind myself of that and focus on what’s going to matter in 25 years from now.

I have a 22 month old, 4, 6 and 8 year old myself and get my 9 year old step son every 2 weeks for 3 days. Sometimes I just feel overwhelmed. I am so thankful for my little family. They mean the world to me.

I have some great little helpers. My 8 year old is a big help. She helps with the laundry, washs the dishes(plates, cups and silverware), takes out the trash and a few other stuff. My 4 and 6 year old help clean, fold the clothes and wipe counters. I even have my 22 month old help. He already knows what to do after he finishes eating. He will clean out his plate and then he throw his plate in the sink. Sometimes he throw it to far. It falls back. He ‘ll get mad, but he keeps trying until he gets it in there. He copys everything his brother and sisters do. Well at least tries. LOL

Adorable photos – so precious! For your next child and potty training, there is an amazing book: Toilet Training in Less Than a Day (might be available at your library or a used copy would be very inexpensive) that is revolutionary! My daughter was trained in one day!!!! It really worked!

You are so right that the season is short. Just took my oldest to college this past weekend, a day that seemed so far off in the future, but came so rapidly. Enjoy all the hugging and cuddling and laughing and the beautiful chaos!

@Bonita,
Oooh, we did this last year and I was ok that first day. But I went back the next weekend with more “stuff” and cried all the way home. It is almost time to bring her back for the second year and it is kind of exciting! ( & bad or cheap mom in me thinks…they have cvs, Double coupons kroger and meijer….

Congratulations to you ! It is the rare mother who understands that short season when they are young and so enjoyable! Many tend to get bogged down in the mess and the noise. Rejoice in the wonder that is the young child.

As the poem goes : Dusting and Cleaning will wait until tomorrow for babies grow up I have learn to my sorrow . So quiet down cob webs dust go to sleep… I am rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

Don’t know the exact words or poem but it is a great one.

My own are grown and gone and believe me it goes fast!

I personally equate your wonderful time with them when they are young to this: When they are below four they are almost too young to remember holidays by four they participate enthusiastically by 12 they are often too “cool” to participate” in family holiday time including sometimes vaction (since holidays come one time per year/ this gives you 8 years or 8 days to enjoy them ! So for all the days when it seems like they will never grow up and the messes will never be cleanned up.
Enjoy your 8 days ! Some day before we all know it the littles of today will be those in charge.

@Jenna,
Yes, this is exactly the truth. My children are nearly big (age wise!) 19, 16 1/2, 13 1/2, and Everyday I miss the young years. Especially, since I am in the “moms not cool” ages. I keep telling my girls I can’t wait to be a grandma, just to have a baby in the house again. Of course it will be a few years, 8-10 maybe?